Long-term effectiveness and generality of practical functional assessment and skill-based treatment.

There are several considerations to address when conducting functional communication training for challenging behavior in a school setting, such as the need for schedule thinning and maintenance across staff and the need to establish a variety of appropriate classroom skills. There are several strategies for conducting schedule thinning following functional communication training and for transferring effects across people or settings. However, there are few examples of these processes in natural settings with relevant caregivers and with long-term maintenance of effects.

Quantifying internal intervertebral disc strains to assess nucleus replacement device designs: a digital volume correlation and ultra-high-resolution MRI study.

Nucleus replacement has been proposed as a treatment to restore biomechanics and relieve pain in degenerate intervertebral discs (IVDs). Multiple nucleus replacement devices (NRDs) have been developed, however, none are currently used routinely in clinic. A better understanding of the interactions between NRDs and surrounding tissues may provide insight into the causes of implant failure and provide target properties for future NRD designs.

Carotid Revascularization and Its Effect on Cognitive Function: A Prospective Nonrandomized Multicenter Clinical Study.

Background: There is conflicting data on the effect of carotid revascularization on cognitive function.

Objective: To examine cerebral blood flow and cognitive function after carotid revascularization.

Methods: Patients with unilateral, asymptomatic hemodynamically significant carotid artery stenosis (80% by computed tomography angiography or magnetic resonance angiography) were eligible.

Interview-informed functional analyses: A comparison of synthesized and isolated components.

Hanley, Jin, Vanselow, and Hanratty (2014) described a functional analysis (FA) format that relied on a synthesis of multiple contingencies described by caregivers during open-ended interviews. These interview-informed synthesized contingency analyses (IISCA) provided effective baselines from which to develop socially validated treatments, but the synthesis precluded a precise understanding of individual contingencies influencing problem behavior. We conducted IISCAs and standard FAs (Iwata, Dorsey, Slifer, Bauman, & Richman, 1982/1994) for nine children with autism to evaluate the likelihood of differentiation given a number of synthesized versus isolated variables.

Carotid duplex with contralateral disease: the influence of vertebral artery blood flow.

The hemodynamic effect of severe contralateral internal carotid (ICA) disease may result in overestimation of ipsilateral stenosis by duplex ultrasound (DU). This study examines the role of the vertebral artery system (VAS) on duplex results in patients with severe carotid disease. A retrospective study of 110 patients who underwent carotid endarterectomy (CEA) between January 1, 1995 and January 31, 1998 was performed.

Familial carotid body tumors: a closer look.

Purpose: A family spanning three generations with a history of familial carotid body tumors (CBTs) was studied, and previously proposed hypotheses of tumor characteristics and genetic mode of transmission were addressed.

Methods: Clinically occult lesions in adult subjects were detected by means of high-resolution computed tomography.

Results: A 60% incidence of bilaterality of CBTs associated with multiple paragangliomas was noted in the family studied.

Gender-associated differences in emergency department pain management.

Study Objective: To determine whether patient or provider gender is associated with the number, type, and strength of medications received by emergency department patients with headache, neck pain, or back pain.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Setting: Stanford University Hospital ED PARTICIPANTS: Patients 18 years and older who arrived at the ED with a chief complaint of headache, neck pain, or back pain between February 1, 1993, and September 30, 1993.

Are peroneal artery bypass grafts hemodynamically inferior to other tibial artery bypass grafts?

Purpose: Many authors have reported excellent long-term patency rates of peroneal artery bypasses. It has been suggested, however, that the hemodynamic result of the peroneal bypass is inferior to that of other infrapopliteal artery bypasses, making it suboptimal in patients with forefoot ischemic tissue loss. A retrospective review of 118 recent infrainguinal vein grafts (36 peroneal, 27 anterior tibial, 35 posterior tibial, 20 popliteal) was undertaken to assess and compare the hemodynamic results for each group.

A prospective study of the determinants of vein graft flow velocity: implications for graft surveillance.

Purpose: Serial monitoring of vein graft peak systolic flow velocity (PSFV) has been endorsed as a technique for vein graft surveillance with low values (< 45 cm/sec) considered a marker for impending graft failure. Optimal application of this method requires an understanding of the factors affecting PSFV in normal grafts. A prospective evaluation of 46 consecutive elective infrainguinal vein grafts (6 popliteal/29 tibial/11 pedal) was undertaken to assess the major determinants of PSFV.

Construction of overlapping oligonucleotide templates for the production of cRNA standards for quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction.

The reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a technique for the study of gene expression that requires far less RNA for analysis than Northern blots. The inclusion of cRNA standards in the initial reverse transcription step is a way to control for the tube-to-tube variation often inherent in the technique and to permit quantitation of the starting amount of the native mRNA being analyzed. We describe a method using overlapping oligonucleotides to produce templates for the production of cRNA standards for up to three different mRNA species.

Flow dependence of 2-D temperature distributions induced in the perfused canine kidney by ultrasound.

The influence of perfusate flow rate on the two-dimensional (2-D) temperature distributions induced by hyperthermia in the canine kidney was evaluated. Localized hyperthermia was induced by ultrasound (frequency 2.040 MHz, transducer diameter 6.